Popura Taneshima
Popura Taneshima is a 17 year old, high school student who works at Wagnaria as a waitress. She is often mistaken as an elementary or middle school student because she is so small. Background The story of Working first starts out with Taneshima working at Wagnaria with all of the members of the original staff. However, because they were overloaded with work and customers, they assigned Taneshima to go out and find someone to work part time at the restaurant. Taneshima tried asking her friends, and asking people on the street, but no luck. After days of searching, Taneshima started to beg people to get a job there, but with still no luck. One day, while Souta Takanashi was walking home from school, Taneshima ran at him and hugged him, asking if he wanted a job. However, since Taneshima is so small, Takanashi mistook her for a 12 year old, elementary school student. He asked her where her parents were, and if she was lost. Taneshima then became angry and pulled out her student ID card, declaring that she was 17 years old, and a high school student. Takanashi was in shock at how small she was for someone so "old," but accepted the job anyway for the chance to work along side someone so small and cute. After this, the main character switches from Taneshima to Takanashi, but Taneshima still remains one of the main supporting characters. On Takanashi's first day at Wagnaria, Taneshima was assigned to show him the ropes. However, since Taneshima is so short and weak, she wasn't able to do much, and had to ask Satou to do it for her. Thankfully, Takanashi quickly learned the ropes and started working at a fast pace. Taneshima is often complaining and crying about how people have teased her because she is so small. In fact, most of this happens inside the restaurant when she is waiting tables. Most people are surprised they let a "little kid" work there, to which Taneshima storms off and complains to Takanashi or Satou. In the first episode, Popura was bullied by two men who were customers at the restaurant. They were pulling her hair and calling her a child, although she kept insisting she was a high school student. Thankfully, Kyouko stepped in and scared the customers off in order to protect Taneshima. Because of her shortness, Taneshima is eager to learn new tricks on how to make herself grow taller. She gets most of these tips from Satou since he is the tallest in the restaurant. However, Satou often teases her by telling her lies on how to get taller, such as staying calm as to not work your braincells, and wearing your hair high so you'll seem taller. Satou will also tease her and say she's grown before crushing her dreams and saying that she hasn't grown at all, and that he was just lying, causing Taneshima to start screaming at him. Taneshima is very bad with names, and therefore calls Takanashi, Katanashi because she keeps forgetting how to say it, and because she's so "cute," Takanashi, doesn't correct her. This name confused Inami because she thought she had been calling him by the wrong name since he never corrected Taneshima when she called him Katanashi. So Inami approached Takanashi and called him "Katanashi," to which he turned around and said in a sinister voice, "It's Takanashi. Don't you ever forget that." A few seconds later, Taneshima walked into the room and called him Katanashi, to which he doesn't correct her. Inami became angry and punched him before storming off. Relationships Love Life: Souta Takanashi: Takanashi is obsessed with cute things, and therefore, has a deep affection for Taneshima. Even though she is over 12 years old, Takanashi makes an exception for her because she is so small. However, Takanashi denies he has feelings for Taneshima, and thinks of her as a water fly, someone who can't defend themselves, so he must defend them himself. However, he is seen constantly throughout the series calling her cute and adorable, so he may actually have feelings for her after all. Co-workers: Kyouko Shirafuji: Kyouko is very protective of Taneshima, and has found it routine to protect her from bullies in the restaurant. Because she is the manager, Kyouko is allowed to use violence against the bullies, which usually causes them to never come back, keeping Taneshima safe. Jun Satou: Satou is a close friend of Taneshima's, and he often helps her with things she can't do. However, Satou is in love with Yachiyo, so whenever he sees Yachiyo spending time with Kyouko, he becomes angry, and in turn, bullies Taneshima. Often by teasing her about her height, and messing with her "fluffy" hair by putting it in different hairstyles or just ruffling it. Yachiyo Todoroki: Yachiyo, like Kyouko, often defends Taneshima when someone insults her height. This is normally Satou who she has to protect Taneshima against. Souma Hiroomi: Taneshima and Souma are good friends, but Taneshima is sometimes scared of him because he knows her dark secret, and uses it to get her to do his work for him. Inami Mahiru: Taneshima and Inami are very close friends, and often talk to each other to help Inami get over her androphobia. Taneshima must also be in the room in order for Inami not to punch Takanashi. Trivia *Taneshima has super long, fluffy hair that Satou often styles for his enjoyment. *Taneshima's father is a public servant, and her mother is a house wife. *Taneshima goes to the same high school as Takanashi. *Taneshima wears fake glasses when she's studying to make herself look older and more serious. *Although she is small, it is revealed that Taneshima has a bigger breasts size than Inami. *Taneshima's secret is that she actually wears elevator shoes all the time to make herself seem taller. Souma uses this secret against her in order to get her to do all his work. *Taneshima's first name, Popura, is often mistaken for "Poplar." However, since there are no L's in the Japanese language, and all L's are pronounced with R's, her correct name would be Popura. *Taneshima's first name, Popura, is a pun because her parents named her that in hopes that she would grow as tall as a Poplar tree. However, she ended up being very short. Category:Characters